This invention relates to a jewelry clasp, and more particularly to a jewelry clasp permitting the addition of pieces of jewelry onto a chain while preventing the jewelry from accidentally sliding off the chain.
Numerous jewelry clasps are presently in use to secure the ends of a chain together. Such chains can be part of necklaces, bracelets, or other similar articles of jewelry. One specific type of jewelry clasp is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,001,923 issued on Jan. 11, 1977. In that patent there is described a clasp having a male and a female member which are adapted to be clasped together by releasable locking means engaging the male member to hold it within the female member. The locking means is disposed in the female member and includes an integral one piece member having a locking portion for engaging the male member, a resilient portion for biasing a locking portion against the male member, and an actuating portion for moving the locking portion relative to the pressure of the resilient portion for releasing the male member, to thereby permit retraction thereof from the female member. The female member also includes holding means to position the resilient portion relative to the female member.
In the aforementioned jewelry clasp, the clasp is simple to operate and provides for the positive locking together of the male and female members. The construction is simplified and it avoids accidental retraction of the male member from the female member.
One problem with prior art jewelry clasps, concerns the ability to add pieces of jewelry onto a chain. Specifically, it is frequently desired to add additional pieces of jewelry or to remove specific ones of the jewelry pieces. Many chains include beads which can be added or removed from the chain. Similarly, it may be desired to add or remove a specific locket, pendant, or other piece of jewelry from a necklace.
Since the chain is a continuous interconnected strand, it is often difficult, if not impossible, to open the chain to add or remove specific ones of the jewelry. It is therefore necessary to add and remove the pieces of jewelry from the clasped section. In order to do that, one of the members, frequently the male member, is made thin enough to pass through the diameter of the piece of jewelry. In this way, the male member is used as a needle or finger to thread the chain through the openings in the jewelry. However, this requires that the size of the male member be smaller than the opening in the jewelry. As a result, when the male member is separated from the female member, during the time that the clasp is open either intentionally or accidentally, it is possible that the pieces of jewelry can slide off the chain by passing over the male member.
Accordingly, it is desirous to have a jewelry clasp which includes a male member which is small enough to pass through the openings in jewelry so that the jewelry can be threaded onto the chain, and at the same time include means for preventing the jewelry from accidentally sliding off the chain.